Electronic device and method for generating image data

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10200646-B2
Application number	US-201615286083-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 5, 2016
Priority date	Oct 5, 2015
Publication date	Feb 5, 2019
Grant date	Feb 5, 2019

Abstract

A method of an electronic device including an image sensor that acquires an optical signal corresponding to an object and a controller that controls the image sensor, is provided. The method includes identifying a mode for generating an image corresponding to the object by using the optical signal, determining a setting of at least one image attribute to be used for generating the image at least based on the mode, generating image data by using pixel data corresponding to the optical signal at least based on the setting, and displaying the image corresponding to the object through a display functionally connected to the electronic device at least based on the image data.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of an electronic device including an image sensor that acquires an optical signal corresponding to an object, a display, and at least one processor that controls the image sensor, the method comprising:
identifying, by the at least one processor, a mode for generating an image corresponding to the object by using the optical signal;
determining, by the at least one processor, a setting of at least one image attribute to be used for generating the image at least based on the mode;
generating, by the at least one processor, image data by using pixel data corresponding to the optical signal at least based on the setting, wherein a type of phase difference calculation, from among at least two types of phase difference calculations, used on the pixel data is determined based on the mode; and
controlling, by the at least one processor, the display to display the image corresponding to the object through a display that is functionally connected to the electronic device at least based on the image data.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining of the setting comprises:
when the mode corresponds to a first mode, determining a first setting of the at least one image attribute as the setting; and
when the mode corresponds to a second mode, determining a second setting of the at least one image attribute as the setting.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mode comprises:
a first mode in which a plurality of subpixels included in at least one of a plurality of unit pixels of image sensor output pixel data of a subpixel level, respectively,
a second mode in which image data of a unit pixel level is output through a combination of the pixel data of the plurality of subpixels within the unit pixel,
a third mode in which information for calculating a phase difference between the plurality of subpixels is generated and image data of the unit pixel level is output by combining or averaging signals of a level of the plurality of subpixels, and
a fourth mode in which information for calculating a phase difference between the plurality of subpixels is generated and image data of the unit pixel level is output by selectively combining or averaging pixel data of the plurality of subpixels.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising outputting information corresponding to the phase difference between the plurality of subpixels based on the first mode.

5. The method of claim 3 , further comprising outputting image data and not outputting information corresponding to the phase difference between the plurality of subpixels based on the second mode.

6. The method of claim 3 , further comprising outputting image data and information corresponding to the phase difference between the plurality of subpixels based on the third mode.

7. The method of claim 3 , further comprising outputting image data generated by combining pixel data of subpixels within a first unit pixel, information for calculating a phase difference between pixels using pixel data acquired from subpixels within a second unit pixel, and image data generated by combining the acquired pixel data based on the fourth mode.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first unit pixel includes a red (R) pixel or blue (B) pixel, and the second unit pixel includes a green (G) pixel.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identifying of the mode comprises identifying the mode based on photographing conditions.

10. An electronic device comprising:
a display;
an image sensor configured to acquire an optical signal corresponding to an object; and
at least one processor,
wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
identify a mode for generating an image corresponding to the object by using the optical signal,
determine a setting of at least one image attribute to be used for generating the image at least based on the mode,
generate image data by using pixel data corresponding to the optical signal at least based on the setting, wherein a type of phase difference calculation, from among at least two types of phase difference calculations, used on the pixel data is determined based on the mode, and
control the display to display the image corresponding to the object through a display functionally connected to the electronic device at least based on the image data.

11. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
determine a first setting of the at least one image attribute as the setting when the mode corresponds to a first mode, and
determine a second setting of the at least one image attribute as the setting when the mode corresponds to a second mode.

12. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the mode comprises:
a first mode in which a plurality of subpixels included in at least one of a plurality of unit pixels of image sensor output pixel data of a subpixel level, respectively,
a second mode in which image data of a unit pixel level is output through a combination of the pixel data of the plurality of subpixels within the unit pixel,
a third mode in which information for calculating a phase difference between the plurality of subpixels is generated and image data of the unit pixel level is output by combining or averaging pixel data of a level of the plurality of subpixels, and
a fourth mode in which information for calculating a phase difference between the plurality of subpixels is generated and image data of the unit pixel level is output by selectively combining or averaging pixel data of the plurality of subpixels.

13. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
output information corresponding to the phase difference between the plurality of subpixels when the mode corresponds to the first mode, and
not output the information corresponding to the phase difference between the plurality of subpixels when the mode corresponds to the second mode.

14. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to output image data and information corresponding to the phase difference between the plurality of subpixels when the mode corresponds to the third mode.

15. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to output image data generated through a combination of pixel data of subpixels within a first unit pixel, information for calculating a phase difference between pixels using pixel data acquired from subpixels within a second unit pixel, and image data generated through a combination of the acquired pixel data when the mode corresponds to the fourth mode.

16. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the mode is determined based on photographing conditions.

17. An electronic device comprising:
an image sensor configured to acquire an optical signal corresponding to an object, the image sensor including a plurality of unit pixels, at least one of the plurality of unit pixels including a first subpixel and a second subpixel; and
at least one processor functionally connected to the image sensor,
wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
acquire pixel data corresponding to the object at least based on the optical signal by using the image sensor,
identify a setting of at least one image attribute to be used for generating an image corresponding to the object,
determine a phase difference of the image by using, based on one of at least two types of phase difference calculations, a first signal corresponding to the first subpixel and a second signal correspondin

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kang Hwa-Young
• Kim Dong-Soo
• Kim Moon-Soo
• Yoon Young-Kwon
• Jang Dong-Hoon

Classifications

• H04N25/134 Primary

  based on three different wavelength filter elements · CPC title

• H04N23/65

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• H04N23/667

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• H04N25/704

  Pixels specially adapted for focusing, e.g. phase difference pixel sets · CPC title

• H04N23/67

  Focus control based on electronic image sensor signals · CPC title